Method of application of fluids to textile and like materials



Dec. 26, 1961 v. B. CHlPALKATTl ETAL 3,014,777

METHOD OF APPLICATION OF FLUIDS TO TEXTILE AND LIKE MATERIALS Filed July 17, 1958 a ;\/O Vanni Bll l l zwl a l tfi 8 \Z/ 9 Mamivarman W W TIMELE WEWM Attorney 3,014,777 METHQD 6F APPLICATTON F FLUIDS T0 TEXTILE HIKE MATERIALS Vasant B. Chipalkatti and Krishnan Manivannan, Delhi,

India, assignors to Shri Ram Institute For Industrial Research, Deihi, India, a society of lndia Filed July 17, 1958, Ser. No. 749,269 9 Claims. (Cl. 8-151) This invention relates to a process and apparatus for the treatment of textile and like materials and has particular reference to the continuous wet and dry processes.

The treatment of textiles by passing same through a fluid medium is well known and the technique of the molten metal as applied in dyeing is also well known. It has further been proposed to employ fluidised beds for the processing of textile material.

The method of just dipping in the fluid such as a dye solution involves considerable time and waste of treating chemicals. The use of a molten metal unit as heretofore employed for dyeing does not result in satisfactory penetration of the dye into the material and particularly into tightly Woven fabrics or when heavy shades are to be obtained. By the use of fluidised beds alone, there is also the possibility of lack of adequate diffusion. There is considerable risk of costly metal carry-over also.

The object or" the present invention is to provide a process and apparatus which are generally suitable for both wet and dry processing of textiles and like materials, without any of the drawbacks mentioned above.

According to this invention, the process for the treatment of textile or like material makes use of a combination of steps in which the material is passed successively through a treating fluid medium, a molten metal bath and finally a fluidised bed of solid discrete particles. The tr ating fluid is preferably applied to the material in a fluidized bed column from which the material is passed continuously and downwardly into the molten metal bath.

The apparatus for wet or dry processing of the material consists principally of three parts, viz.,

(l) A narrow chamber acting as a receptacle for the treating liquid or as a fluidised bed chamber for carrying out the first step of the process,

(2) A U-shaped molten metal bath for the next step of the process, and finally (3) A fluidised bed chamber for the final treatment or" the material.

The present invention is applicable to all processes like dyeing, bleaching, developing, finishing, scouring, drying, resin curing etc. of textile materials. The term textiles covers all natural and artificial textile materials in one or more forms used in the textile industry including materials of most recent origin e.g., nylon, Orlon or the like.

In carrying out the process, the material is first made to pass through the treating liquid in the receptacle containing the liquid and constituting the first treating zone. The wettened material is then adapted to enter in a continuous manner into the molten metal bath which may be formed at the base of the receptacle holding the liquid. The molten metal serves a dual purpose viz., (1) it has un form squeezing effect, thus helping to remove excess iiquor from the surface of the textile material and (2) it acts as a heat transfer medium to effect partially the required heat treatment of the material impregnated with the treating liquid. The impregnated material, after emerging out of the molten metal is then made to pass through a second heat treating zone which is defined by a column containing a fluidised bed of solid discrete particles, of sand, glass-beads or porcelain beads of suitable size fluidised by means of superheated steam or any other suitable gas or vapour. This column again serves a double purpose viz., it removes the metal entrained from the Iifiidffi'? Patented Dec. 26, 196! rap l 2 molten metal bath by the material, the fluidised particles helping to dislodge the metal particles adhering to the material, and it helps in further heat transfer to the material to effect the required heat treatment at any desired temperature in the range of 70 to 180 C.

The invention will now be more fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings, 1 shows the textile material entering the fluidised bed column 5 containing the treating liquor which liquor also acts as fluidising medium. Sand, glass or porcelain particles may be used as solid discrete particles which are fluidised. Here the wet treatment is applied. The so impregnated fabric enters the molten metal bath 3 where further heat treatment and removal of excess liquor are achieved. The material then passes finally through a gaseous fluidised bed chamber 11 where further treatment is given. The material leaves the apparatus through an expansion chamber 12..

6 is the recirculation system, consisting of a pump 8 and a storage tank 9 for the fluidising liquid for use in the receptacle or column 5.

id is the discharge port for the removal of solid particles, from the receptacle 5. The guide rollers are marked 2, 3, i5 and 4 and these rollers assist the passage of the fabric into and out of the apparatus. 13 is a cyclone separator.

15 is a discharge port for removal of the solid particles from the chamber or column ll. 7 is the heat exchanger for the fluid in the receptacle 5.

in the arrangement illustrated herein, the receptacle 5 is hown on the left hand side of the apparatus. Below that is the narrow U-shaped container 10 for the molten metal oath, as a bottom unit having its left-hand leg in communication with the lower end of column 5, and finally there is a narrow vertically elongated fluidised bed chamber marked 11 and shown as the right hand column of the apparatus communicating at its lower end with the right-hand leg of the U-shaped metal container.

Heating coils (not shown) can be incorporated in the molten metal bath or any other external heating arrangement may be provided.

The passage of the fabric is centered by means of suitable guide rollers or bars (not shown) suitably placed inside the equipment.

The molten metal bath in most cases is preferably kept at a temperature of approximately 100 C. The metal in said bath may be a metallic alloy of high density, such, for example, as Woods metal or Rosses metal, having a melting point of 60 to C. In column 11 steam or any other gas acts as the fiuidising medium while sand particles, glass beads or the like solid materials act as the fluidised bed.

According to another feature of this invention in the first part of the apparatus viz., column 5, fluidised discrete particles may or may not be present.

In many cases of textile processes such as dyeing, bleaching, etc., the thoroughness or otherwise of liquid penetration into the textile material depends among other things, on the nature of the textile material itself. For example, it is well known that closely woven drills are more diflicult to impregnate than loosely woven fabrics.

in the case of loosely woven material such as voiles therefore it is enough if the left hand column 5 of the apparatus contains the impregnation liquid kept under proper agitation and circulation. For better impregnation in the more closely woven materials, said column has a fluidised bed.

According to another aspect of this invention, where heat treatment and drying are required as a part of continuous processing of textiles e.g. in the heat treatment and stabilisation of textile materials like nylon, Terylene or the like, or resin curing of rayons and the like, the left hand column contains the fluidised bed of solid discrete particles fluidised by means of air, superheated steam and any other suitable gaseous medium. The temperature in the first treating zone may then vary from 70 to 180 (2., depending upon the nature of the treatment and the raterial.

There are two important points of consideration in the Wet treatment of textile for it to be satisfactory and economical. The diffusion of the molecules into the interior of the fibre cross-section and their effective chemical or physical reaction depends on (1) improved mass transfer, and (2) improved heat transfer. In addition to the above two factors, there is a third one which is particularly irnportmt from the point of view of economy viz., reduction of the volume of the receptacle in which the treating liquor is held. These conditions for processing the textiles are very well obtained by the application of the present invention.

The wet treatment of the material is carried out by passing the same through a narrow elongated bath with a fluidised bed where the treating liquor is pumped through the column 5, counter current to the passage of the material 1. The solid particles used may be 10 to 200 mesh (1600 to 160 microns) in size. These particles serve two important purposes.

Firstly they improve the mass and heat transfer coefiicients to a very high order under fiuidising conditions and secondly, reduce the volume of the liquor to the minimum. This is particularly true when the impregnation of the material is difiicult such as, in the case of tightly woven materials.

The counter current passage of the material to the flow of the liquor has a unique feature in that it reduces the thickness of the surface film which further improves transfer characteristics. Also, the solid material is allowed to rest on the molten metal without requiring a separate false bottom and thus complicacy of the apparatus is reduced. The time of contact with the treating liquor is much reduced in this process and the process is made continuous. I

The subsequent passing of the material through the molten bath comprises the application of heat and pressure to the material just sufiicient to obtain the better impregnation and squeeze. it further prevents the carry over of the sand particles along with the wet material and acts as a support for the bed of solid particles.

The passage of the material causes internal eddy currents in the molten metal and the proper incorporation of heating coils inside the molten metal bath improves the heat transfer coefiicient resulting in better heat treatment and better penetration of the treating liquor.

The temperature of the fluidised bed in column 11 is suitably adjusted and the size of the solid particles so fixed that the thin layer of the metallic film adhering to the surface of the material under treatment is removed.

The fluidisation can also be caused by the introduction of jets at difi'erent heights along the walls of columns and 11 as described in our co-peuding specification Serial No. 749,268, filed July 17, 1958.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we claim is:

l. A process for the continuous treatment of a textile material which comprises continuously passing said material through a first zone having a treating liquid therein and therein impregnating the material with said liquid, then continuously passing the impregnated material through a bath of molten metal having a melting point between 60 and 90 C., said bath having a depth and temperature such that it squeezes excess treating liquid from the material and partially heat treats the impregnated material during the travel thereof through said bath, and then continuously passing the material through a second heat treating zone, said second zone being partially filled with discrete solid particles of a substance selected from the group consisting of sand, glass and porcelain in sizes of from 3972 to 176 microns, while passing a heating fluid at a desired temperature between 70 and 180 C. through said second Zone, and into contact with the material therein, at a velocity sufiicient to maintain said particles in a fluidized state, thereby removing from the material metal entrained by it from said bath and furthering the heat treatment of the impregnated material.

2. A process as claimed in claim 1, said second zone being defined by a column elongated vertically above and communicating with said bath, the material being moved from said bath upwardly through said column, said particles being maintained in a fluidized state by the introduction of jets of said heating fluid into said second zone at different heights along said column.

3. A process for the impregnation and heat treatment of textile material, which comprises passing the material continuously downwardly through a first treating zone and impregnating the material with a first treating fluid therein, thence through a bath of molten metal underlying and communicating with said first zone to squeeze excess treating fluid from and partially heat treat the impregnated material, and thence upwardly through a second heat treating zone vertically elongated above and communicating with said bath and containing a bed of fluidizable discrete solid particles contacting all sides of the material therein, while continuously flowing a heating fluid through said bed and into intimate contact with the material in said second zone at a velocity sufficient to maintain said particles in a fluidized state, and at a desired treatment temperature between 70 and 180 C., so as simultaneously to remove and drain to said bath metal entrained by the material and to further the heat treatment of the impregnated material.

4. A process as claimed in claim 3, said particles being particles of a substance selected from the group consisting of sand, glass and porcelain, in sizes of from 3972 to 176 microns.

5. A process for the impregnation and heat treatment of textile material, which comprises continuously passing the material downwardly through a first vertically elongated treating zone containing a bed of fluidizable discrete solid particles in contact with all sides of the material While continuously flowing a treating fluid through said bed and into intimate contact with the material therein at a velocity sulficient to keep said bed in a fluidized state, thus impregnating the material with said treating fluid, then passing the impregnated material continuously through a bath of molten metal underlying and communicating with said first zone to squeeze excess treating fluid from and partially heat treat the impregnated material, and thence upwardly through a heating zone vertically elongated above and communicating with said bath and containing a second bed of such fluidizable solid particles, while continuously flowing a heating fluid through said heating zone and into intimate contact with the material therein at a velocity sufficient to keep said second bed in a fluidized state, and at a desired temperature between 70 and 180 C., so as simultaneously to remove and drain to said bath metal entrained by the material and to further the heat treatment of the impregnated material.

6. A process for the impregnation and heat treatment of textile material, which comprises continuously passing the material downwardly through a first vertically elongated treating zone containing a bed of fluidizable discrete solid particles in contact with all sides of the material while continuously flowing a treating liquid through said bed and into intimate contact with the material therein at a velocity sufficient to keep said bed in a fluidized state, thus impregnating the material with said treating liquid, then passing the impregnated material continuously through a bath of molten metal underlying and communicating with said first zone to squeeze excess treating liquid from and partially heat treat the impregnated material, said bath being composed of metal that melts at a temperature of 60 to 90 C. and being maintained at a temperature not exceeding approximately 100 C., and then passing the material continuously and upwardly through a heating zone vertically elongated above and communicating with said bath and containing a second bed of such fluidizable solid particles, while continuously flowing a gaseous heating fluid through said heating zone and into intimate contact with the material therein at a velocity suflicient to keep said second bed in a fluidized state, and at a desired temperature between 70 and 180 C., so as simultaneously to remove and drain to said bath metal entrained by the material and to further the heat treatment of the impregnated material.

7. A process as claimed in claim 6, said particles in each of said zones being particles of a substance selected from the group consisting of sand, glass and porcelain, said particles in said first zone being of from 1600 to- 160 microns in size and said particles in said second zone being of from 3972 to 176 microns in size.

8. A process for the dyeing of textile material, which comprises continuously passing the material downwardly through a first vertically elongated treating zone containing a bed of fluidizable chemically inert discrete solid particles in contact with all sides of the material while continuously flowing a dye liquor through said bed and into intimate contact with the material therein at a velocity suflicient to keep said bed in a fluidized state, thus impregnating the material Wih said dye liquor, then passing the impregnated material continuously through a bath of molten metal underlying and communicating with said first zone to squeeze excess dye liquor from and partially heat treat the impregnated materials, said bath being composed of metal that melts at a temperature of to C. and being maintained at a temperature not exceeding approximately C,, and then passing the material continuously and upwardly through a heating zone vertically elongated above and communicating with said bath and containing a second bed of such fluidizable solid particles, while continuously flowing a gaseous heating fluid through said heating zone and into intimate contact with the material therein at a velocity suificient to keep said second bed in a fluidized state, and at a desired temperature between 70 and C., so as simultaneously to remove and drain to said bath metal entrained by the material and to further the heat treatment of the dye-impregnated material.

9. A process as claimed in claim 8, said gaseous heating fluid being superheated steam.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,533,248 Helmus Dec. 12, 1950 2,537,290 Williams et a1. Jan. 9, 1951 2,664,009 Emerson Dec. 29, 1953 2,664,010 Emerson Dec. 29, 1953 2,693,995 Hannay et al Nov. 9', 1954 2,785,478 Audas et al Mar. 19, 1957 

1. A PROCESS FOR THE CONTINUOUS TREATMENT OF A TEXTILE MATERIAL WHICH COMPRISES CONTINUOUSLY PASSING SAID MATERIAL THROUGH A FIRST ZONE HAVING A TREATING LIQUID THEREIN AND THEREIN IMPREGNATING THE MATERIAL WITH SAID LIQUID, THEN CONTINUOUSLY PASSING THE IMPREGNATED MATERIAL THROUGH A BATH OF MOLTEN METAL HAVING A MELTING POINT BETWEEN 60* AND 90*C., SAID BATH HAVING A DEPTH AND TEMPERATURE SUCH THAT IT SQUEEZES EXCESS TREATING LIQUID FROM THE MATERIAL AND PARTIALLY HEAT TREATS THE IMPREGNATED MATERIAL DURING THE TRAVEL THEREOF THROUGH SAID BATH, AND THEN CONTINUOUSLY PASSING THE MATERIAL THROUGH A SECOND HEAT TREATING ZONE, SAID SECOND ZONE BEING PARTIALLY FILLED WITH DISCRETE SOLID PARTICLES OF A SUBSTANCE SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF SAND, GLASS AND PORCELAIN IN SIZE OF FROM 3972 TO 176 MICRONS, WHILE PASSING A HEATING FLUID AT A DESIRED TEMPERATURE BETWEEN 70* AND 180*C. THROUGH SAID SECOND ZONE, AND INTO 